The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

It is with expected style and finesse that director David Fincher has both remade Niels Arden Oplev’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and adapted Stieg Larsson’s bestselling Swedish novel, which was originally branded in Sweden with the less marketable title of “Men Who Hate Women,” onto the big screen. Fincher, along with talented screenwriter Steven Zaillian (“Moneyball”), has succeeded in improving upon Oplev’s 2009 film version, which I must say I liked very much. Together, Fincher and Zaillian have also taken the novel’s atypical whodunit narrative and have spun it into a significantly more cinematic and intriguing experience than what Oplev achieved with his adaptation; they’ve taken what is essentially an unusually violent episode of “Midsomer Murders” and have turned it into something that is as relentlessly gripping and hypnotic as Fincher’s two previous whodunit drama-thrillers, 1995’s “Se7en” and 2007’s “Zodiac.”

Fincher’s adaptation almost immediately sets itself apart from Oplev’s; the opening titles, arriving a minute into the film, are like that of a Bond film, albeit much more morbid in mindset. Set to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ grungy reworking of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song,” with vocals by Karen O, it depicts several CG-rendered objects and figures, including electrical wires, a bald eagle and also star Rooney Mara (“The Social Network”), as they are drowned from head to toe in tattoo ink. They twist and turn, rise and fall, and embrace one another until Mara has her ink-splattered face violently bashed to bits by the inky knuckles of a man’s fist. It’s an uncommonly ambitious, unexpectedly disturbing and visually orgasmic hallucinogenic nightmare that certainly would have seemed stupendously out-of-place in Oplev’s rather restrained film; here, it fits perfectly, and faultlessly sets the tone for what is to transpire in this tremendous story.

Following this, we meet our two protagonists. Our first is Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig, “Cowboys and Aliens”), an investigative journalist who is going through some high-profile legal trouble in Sweden. We first meet Mikael just as he has been convicted of libel against undoubtedly corrupt businessman Hans-Erik Wennerström, meaning he must pay a hefty sum of money to the crooked git. Soon after his conviction, Mikael is contacted by Henrik Vanger (“Beginners”), an elderly millionaire who has a business offer for Mikael. Intrigued, Mikael travels to Henrik’s estate and discovers that Henrik wants him to solve a 40-year-old mystery: the disappearance and possible murder of Henrik’s beloved niece, Harriet.

Our second protagonist is Lisbeth Salander (Mara), a character who has become something of a phenomenon of modern literature. Lisbeth is what you might describe as an odd creature. Forever dressed as a cross between a punk rock chick and a gloomy goth, Lisbeth has led an exceptionally tough life and is, on the surface, a cold-hearted loner who cares not for anything or anyone. She is isolated, anti-social and emotionally tortured, yet still unflinchingly strong and uncommonly intelligent.

A freelance computer hacker, Lisbeth is secretly documenting Mikael’s every move at the request of Henrik’s people, who simply want a background check on the man. Soon enough, Mikael discovers Lisbeth’s actions and, not wishing to make the same mistake he did with Wennerström, requests her research expertise to help in the investigation; at first disinterested, Lisbeth becomes attracted to the offer once she discovers she will be helping in the tracking down of a “killer of women.”

The mystery is as such: 40 years ago, on the island inhabited solely by Henrik’s devious family, young Harriet vanished without a trace and was never seen again. The case has never been solved, but Henrik is 100% confident that she was murdered, and that the murderer is someone in his family, or, as Henrik describes them, “The most detestable collection of people that you will ever meet.” In addition, ever since Harriet’s unexplained disappearance, Henrik has been mailed framed flowers (the birthday gift he received from Harriet ever year before she vanished) on each of his birthdays; he believes the murderer has been cruelly taunting him for four whole decades with these “gifts,” and he now wants to finally find out who this person is.

It’s a fascinating mystery, but it’s one we’ve seen before. As such, it’s a testament to how well constructed Fincher’s redo is that this central mystery actually manages to captivate on a higher level here than it did in Oplev’s original adaptation. This time around, we know precisely who the killer is, we know their motivations, we know how the investigation pans out and we know the end result in full, and yet the mystery, against all odds, remains fully engrossing and exciting from start to finish, thanks largely to the irresistibly absorbing and mesmerising ambience that surrounds the film.

This is a result, in part, of the chilling, focused and atmospheric direction from Fincher, the smartly written screenplay by Zaillian, the crisp editing by Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, the beautifully orchestrated cinematography by Jeff Cronenweth, and the uncompromisingly haunting musical score composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Together, these elements create an all-consuming aura that pulls us in right from the aforementioned opening titles and refuses to let go until the end credits creep their way onto the screen after over 150 minutes of unyielding intensity.

We also have Craig and Mara, who both offer tremendous leading performances, although the focus is inevitably more centred on Mara. This up-and-coming American actress (pulling off a damn good Swedish accent) has a Noomi Rapace-shaped shadow looming over her for much of the time she is on-screen, and yet Mara somehow manages to overcome this, perhaps even equalling Rapace’s breathtaking performance in the Swedish adaptation. Mara’s performance here is as fascinating and beguiling as Rapace ever was, taking the character of Lisbeth, a damaged soul with a troubled past, and turning her into her own character, one that she fully commits to and immerses herself in; for almost every frame containing the sight of Mara, you cannot take your eyes off her.

Fincher’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” is a refreshing piece of mainstream cinema. It is a film made with incredible passion, skill and intelligence, although what else can you expect from David Fincher? It is both a splendid remake and a marvellous adaptation of Larsson’s original novel. It is movie-making at its most absorbing and hypnotic, and further cements Fincher’s reputation as one of the most gifted filmmakers working in Hollywood.

10/10